New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-06
THE CIVIL SERVICE STRADDLE.

"Harper's Weeklyn admits that the Civil
Service plank in the Democratic platform Tor
this State is the practical abandonment OF
any declaration of reform by Democratic
Convention absolutely controlled by the Presi-
dents friends" 1t also says that this, the
last of the important state Conventions,
"sbows that the denomination of Mr.. Cleveland
is assured. and that his distinctive views Oh
reform are not approved by his party" we
have steadily contended that the great BODY
of the Democratic party was hostile TO Crvii
Service Reform. The admissions of Harper
Weekly show that the proofs of this have
grown overwhelming. The acknowledgment
demonstrates capacity for frankncss not
shared by "The Evening Post" for example,
which made light of the whole matter, and
represented Tammany's victory as thing OIL
no consequence.
The Civil Service straddlc has hardly at
tracted the attention i deserved. In It's way
il was quite as remarkable for unblushing IN
consistency as the more famous and more I'M
portant financial straddlc in the National DEM
ocratic platform of 1876, which demanded the
repeal of the Resumption Act on the ground
that it was "hindrance" to resumption.
THIS was expected to please the large Green
back element in the party, who did not care
rush ON what ground the repeal was demanded
so long as the party was placed In an attitude
of hostility to the law. At the same time the
advocates of resumption were expected to
believe the party to be so anxious to bring II
about that its only complaint against the ACT
was that resumption could not come fast
enough The Civil Service straddlc Is less
skilful but therefore all the more apparent.
II was necessary to profess devotion to Civil
Service Reform, for reasons too numerous ana
too obvious to mention, and so the convention
adopted the following:
The Democracy Of New-York reiteratc their support
Of the Civil Service laws OF the United States and the
ST ate Of York, and their purpose to uphold them
both.
But they wanted to please also the bitter OPP
ponents of Civil Service Reform, like the lam
many Hall delegates. So without single
sentence between to break the force Of the
transition, they added the following:
In view of tho radical changes in administrative
methods which grow out Of the Civu service laws
and the differences OF opinion which exist In relation
thereto we deem the subject one which might properly
BIO submitted to the popular vote
GOOD Lord" with the Reformcrs-" Good
Devil" with the anti-Refomers. This PROPOSE
ton to submit the question TO popular vote
came from the avowed enemies Of the reform.
It was specially urged in the committee by
General SpinoIa who goes TO Congress this
winter with the declared purpose of getting
the Civil Service law repealed, IL he can. 1t
is an idea that has been brought before the
Legislature by the same set Of men, and, II
We are not mistaken, representatives Of the
Civil Service Reform League appeared IN OPP
position to it. The reasoning OF the anti
Reformers is plain enough. They would be
glad to reopen a question that has already
been decided against them. and which there
is no good ground for rcopcning. They would
hope to see the public indifferent to question
of administrative methods, and would expect
10 win very much as they did on the contract
labor question. The convention prayed much
louder TO the Devil than it did to the Lord.